What are we getting for people?

December 17, 2013 — nicoleandmaggie

Lessee…

MIL completely remodeled her kitchen and is removing the 1990s style country accents and replacing them with red things. So we bought a whole lot of red things, including an ice cream scoop since theirs kept breaking on me last Christmas.

FIL dropped a hint that he wanted a specific expensive book by a hunter about bow hunting, so we did that. (Not available on Amazon.)

SIL2 and BIL2 get a fancy crock-pot off their wishlist. Nephew2 gets an assortment of books I would recommend for a 1-2 year old. He also gets a contribution to his 529. (Why none for the other sibs– It’s Nephew2’s first Christmas and we made the offer for BIL1’s kids, but BIL1 never got around to setting up an account, so we didn’t contribute.)

My mom I will get a B&N gift certificate, though I think I’ll up the amount from $50 to $60 this year.

My father we usually buy some hard liquor. He tends to like high quality on-the-sweet-side stuff. We’ve done fancy rum and fancy brandies the past few years. Also some apple jack that I suspect he didn’t like as much. I wonder if I can get Dumante delivered to their place… No, scratch that. This just in: He doesn’t want any more alcohol and they’ve switched to a no-sugar diet. Uh…

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Close family (sibling, spouse, and 3 teens) are all getting sugru (repair/DIY putty that I’d seen earlier this year, and was reminded of by profhacker) as an add-on/stocking stuffer gift (they’re an Apple family, with all the specialized cords and dongles that goes with that), plus something else modest (book or similar; yes, I’ll come back and read this thread for ideas). Sugru seems to be popular; as of yesterday, it was in the process of selling out on Amazon (but still available on ThinkGeek).

There are also some December birthdays. Oldest niece (in college, getting an off-campus apartment next year) recently turned 18 and got 2 good-quality knives plus a knife block (I like magnetic knife racks, but putting one up might cause trouble in a rental). That might be an 18th-birthday (or some landmark event) pattern I continue with her siblings (regardless of gender).

I have a good friend who lives far away. We both love to cook, especially baking. We started a tradition of buying two copies of the same cookbook as gifts, and then we can share stories about the things we’ve cooked. It makes us feel closer to each other. I’m very excited about the cookbook I chose for this year!

Blokus for my brother’s girlfriend, and an art print of forest animals dancing and playing music for my brother (he’ll love it). Donating to Wikipedia and Operation Smile (no more cleft palates) for my older brother, since he’s a minimalist and those are his things. A cornucopia of Midwestern food for my mom, as she really misses some specific items from here. Webcam for my dad.

In-laws get a new kitchen knife, a kitchenaid mixer attachment (grinder), and new measuring cups (both my MIL and FIL cook a lot, so they’ll be thrilled with these). Home Alone for my nephew is the most fun present I’m buying for one of the kids.

Nothing ground shaking. Maybe the most exciting is that I’m buying my husband a membership to the science museum. When I ask what he wants, he always says he wants to spend more time with me. I suspect this means more time with me not working or on the computer. So this will be a good way for us to get out. Found out the science museum in Minnesota does member deals for educators, so we’ll go for that.

Books for nearly everyone. My parents escaped this year (I bought them alcohol instead), but I got my sister a book called “Brain on Fire” that she wanted. Since I started college I’ve been buying books for my younger cousins – 4 teenage girls on one side, 5 pre-teen boys on the other.

The girls will get (in descending age order) Interpreter of Maladies, Wee Free Men: The Beginning, Neverwhere, and a book on the Assateague Ponies. The youngest isn’t big into reading full novels, but loves animals, so I get her photo books usually.

Paleo cookbook and quilting stuff for mom. She just got a new sewing machine and needs the special supplies for it. Books for brother, a gift certificate to a wood working store for dad (who is finishing building his own workshop and needs supplies. Specialty gifts for husband–something personal he’d never think to ask for (as we haven’t done anything for each other in two years, this was a big deal). Will get dog toy for parent’s dog, cat treats and a new bed for my cats and apparently my brother’s cat loves popcorn and will meow at the microwave til it’s done…so I guess I’m getting popcorn for the cat? No gifts for anyone, no gifts for in-laws, as they aren’t interested in us again. I sent out Christmas cards to people I needed to. Oh yeah, got BFF first 3 Mortal Instrument books, because I know she’d like them and she always does way too much for us.

We stopped exchanging gifts in my family, and I’m happy with that. It makes Christmas time together so much nicer when I don’t to figure out what to get for my mother, stepfather, father, and stepmother. At least sister and her children would provide wish lists that I could use to narrow down the options. My parents and step-parents are really hard to figure out.

Partner’s family has already been told to expect no gifts this year. He’s been unemployed and has no ability to buy anything. I bought their gifts last year, but won’t do so this year. If I end up going to their place for the holiday I will bring some home-baked goods as my “gift” since I didn’t get around to making any jams or pickles this year (my usual gifts).

For your dad: Nuts? Cheeses? Teas? Booze-flavored cheese? (And for a joke present: salad dressing. Or, if you live nearby: a bag of lettuces.)

I’ve gotten out of giving presents for most people. My guy gets a magazine subscription (Fine Homebuilder, I think) and, as is traditional, something I grab out of his hands in a check-out line.

Mom gave me a huge Amazon gift card, so–oh, right, the family should get gifts. I’ve been reading all the Georgette Heyer romances, so I think I’m going to give her my favorites. And I should subtly ask if they’ve seen the latest of my favorite movies that they might like. And I’ll ask my brother if he has any Johnny Cash stuff–he normally prefers heavy metal, but since he got out of prison and started proseletizing (which I can’t spell), I think he might really appreciate some Johnny Cash. My sister is decluttering, but she always misses her favorite jam from a local store here that they don’t have in Indianapolis, so that plus a few other tasty morsels would be nice.

I made my mom read frederica last year when she visited. She was all, your grandma used to read these.

Food makes great gifts. Right now I’m thinking maybe some of the sugar free new laurels kitchen cookies we made when I couldn’t have sugar. (He’s bringing us cheese… That would be like us bringing coals to Newcastle.)

The fun gifts I got for my husband this year. I found an old church pew for our mudroom and maple syrup buckets and taps for spring sugaring season. Our new house has some big sugar maples on it. Pew from craigslist. Buckets and taps from ebay (used).

I LOVE the candied pecans I make. I may make another batch before the holidays are over but they are deadly to have lying around. It’s so easy to munch on them and consume crazy amounts of calories but they do make cute tasty gifts.

I have mostly ignored the gift thing up to now. Sent a box over to the parents last week with a couple of books, a movie I think they could tolerate (they are not movie people and my mom has a whole long-ass list of things she doesn’t Like in entertainment, insert eyes rolling here) and two miniature handmade pottery things. But for Official Christmas … eh. I’m gonna order a couple little things from Amazon and call it a day.

Husband and I weren’t really planning on doing anything because we just had a nice vacation and both got new cameras. But I found him a book of pin-up art that I know he will enjoy.

Sister & her NEW WIFE (they’ve been partners for 16 years but are finally now officially as of Monday MARRIED) got … the wedding. :-)